Creativity and Imagination

A lot of people believe that creativity and imagination is something that only deals with intuitive people and I used to think so myself as well, but it is a little more complicated than that.

Whether you like it or not, creativity and imagination are right brain functions and intuitors and perceivers have a higher chance of being creative or imaginative because of it and that's a fact. I'm not saying that sensor or a judger would not be creative, but they have a lower chance of being creative.

Supposedly by using this logic, that would mean that these are the personality types with highest creativity and greatest imagination:

ENFP, INFp, ENTP, INTp.

The fact is that they are all right brained and they have a VERY high chance of being creative and imaginative. They can also be the most unreliable people that can appear lazy to other types.

Also, these types would be the least creative and imaginative:

ESTJ, ESFJ, ISTj, ISFj.

These types are mainly left brained and will have the lowest probability of being creative and imaginative. Though they are the most productive people you'd ever meet and keep the world moving.

I'm not going to make generalizations on my inconsistent logic. So I would say that there is the possibility of an ESTJ being creative and imaginative and an ENTP not being creative and imaginative. Though, the chances are that the ESTJ would be less unreliable and unproductive, while the ENTP would be a less productive person and reliable person. Though, I'm pretty sure they will most likely both be moderately creative and moderately reliable. It would be extremely rare for an ENTP to be highly productive or an ESTJ to be highly creative.

The following types are creative, but they tend to sway and can go either way, they can both be mildly creative or highly creative, though in a whole they tend to be moderately creative/imaginative. Of course in the manner they are creative, is entirely different.

ENFJ, ENTJ, ISTp, ESTP, ESFP, ISFp, INTj, INFj.

I really don't have enough knowledge, but I would have to assume the intuitive judgers are more creative then the sensing perceivers. Of course, it is just an assumption so the opposite can be true. I want you guys to elaborate on matters like this, since this theory can succeed as one with your help.

Creativity Functions

Intuitors: Their creativity is the most original and tends to revolve around creating things that they imagine or see as a possiblity whether it is hidden or seen in the environment. They may seek influences, but it is rarely a direct influence and tends to be an indirect influence from another person when they use their intuition to warp what they see into a possiblity they want to happen.

Sensors: Their creativity tends to revolve around mixing things together that have been created before. Their creations end up sounding somewhat original as a result of this and using influences from others, they are able to create some incredible things.

Perceivers: They tend to be able to create and imagine the most due to the fact that their mind tends to get distracted the most. Their also most likely to carry on with their ideas for the fact that they get fueled by it in a very strong manner. They are less likely to finish their creations though.

Judgers: They may not get distracted as much and will less likely start a creative idea they have. Though, if they do manage to start that project, it is highly probable that they will finish that project and will most likely become successful with it because of their strong worth ethic.

This is how I see creativity and imagination and how it correlates to Jung's theory. You may see it differently and you are welcome to comment on my theoretical analysis, elaborate on it further and even introduce your own analysis or theory on the matter. Thank You.

"Nothing happens until the pain of staying the same outweighs the pain of change."

Binary or dichotomous systems, although regulated by a principle, are among the most artificial arrangements that have ever been invented. -- William Swainson, A Treatise on the Geography and Classification of Animals (1835)

Isn't it also correlated to mental illness? I seem to recall reading an article that said something of that nature.

Lyricist

"Supposing the entity of the poet to be represented by the number 10, it is certain that a chemist, on analyzing it, would find it to be composed of one part interest and nine parts vanity." (Victor Hugo)

"Supposing the entity of the poet to be represented by the number 10, it is certain that a chemist, on analyzing it, would find it to be composed of one part interest and nine parts vanity." (Victor Hugo)

Sensing is also a right-brained funciton. Right-brained is primarily perception, consisting of both Sensing and Intuition. Left-brained is primarily judgement, consisting largely of Thinking and Feeling. Please, please, please have more of an idea of what you are talking about before you post about it.

The mind can also change areas if need be and alternate between hemispheres if the need arises in order to survive. For example, the left-brained dominant language centers can develop more strongly in the lesser right-brained language centers if the need arises.

Sensing is also a right-brained funciton. Right-brained is primarily perception, consisting of both Sensing and Intuition. Left-brained is primarily judgement, consisting largely of Thinking and Feeling. Please, please, please have more of an idea of what you are talking about before you post about it.

What the heck, I heard that thinking and sensing are left brain functions and feeling and intuition are right brain functions. Maybe, the sources I read before were wrong.

"Nothing happens until the pain of staying the same outweighs the pain of change."

You seemed to ignore that the right brain has been shown to operate such things as body rythm, spatial awerness, musical melody, tone, three dimentional depth-perception, organizing building blocks, spatial coordination, detecting voice intonation, and remembering people's faces and facial expressions, while the left brain does very little of these things. The left brain has a lot to do with words, logical rationalization, and feeling emotions. In other words, the right brain is always "taking things in", while the left is more prone to "reasoning".

You seemed to ignore that the right brain has been shown to operate such things as body rythm, spatial awerness, musical melody, tone, three dimentional depth-perception, organizing building blocks, spatial coordination, detecting voice intonation, and remembering people's faces and facial expressions, while the left brain does very little of these things. The left brain has a lot to do with words, logical rationalization, and feeling emotions. In other words, the right brain is always "taking things in", while the left is more prone to "reasoning".

Okay makes sense, and basically puts me down as a right brain dominant through and through. What would you classify yourself as? Middle brained?

Anyways, The right brain and left brain theory is an oversimplification. Our brains are much more complex to be seperated evenly with one side perception and one side judgement. Though, it does sound neat and simple, our brains aren't really black and white and are a lot more complex.

Ignoring the right brain and left brain theory, do you agree that ENFp, INFp, INTp and ENTp are the most creative types?

"Nothing happens until the pain of staying the same outweighs the pain of change."

Depends on how you define "creative". It's the same problem when people debate "Intelligence" without knowing how to define intelligence. There are different forms of creativity, and different types approach being creative in differnet ways.

Depends on how you define "creative". It's the same problem when people debate "Intelligence" without knowing how to define intelligence. There are different forms of creativity, and different types approach being creative in differnet ways.

Good point, that's what I tried to achieve in this topic, though you can't deny that some personality types are more creative/imaginative. Heh, this is making me go insane thinking about it. Are you saying that an ISTj or ESFj can be creative and innovative?

"Nothing happens until the pain of staying the same outweighs the pain of change."

"Supposing the entity of the poet to be represented by the number 10, it is certain that a chemist, on analyzing it, would find it to be composed of one part interest and nine parts vanity." (Victor Hugo)

Exactly. It's not the functions you have but how you use them that determines creativity.

Lyricist

"Supposing the entity of the poet to be represented by the number 10, it is certain that a chemist, on analyzing it, would find it to be composed of one part interest and nine parts vanity." (Victor Hugo)

The "dominant" hemisphere (the one being used) switches over every 30 minutes or so, although in some states of mind (trained musicians listenning to music, also some types of meditation, I hear) it does os more frequently.

The phenomenon is very much like how your muscles act when you're at rest. The whole muscle is never completely relaxed or contracted. It can't be entirely relaxed because you would fall over. If it's entirely contracted, they will all get tired at once and when they do you will fall over. So different parts of the muscle at different time are contracted so that you can stay upright and so you always have a "usable" part of the muscle.

As far as creativity goes, it would depend in what area. Creativity in terms of visual arts and dancing is probably mostly in the right hemisphere. Music uses both hemispheres pretty equally. Creativity with language would probably be mostly a left-hemisphere phenomenon (language, rhythm, pitch, etc.).